Sounds like Intel's and AMD's Copilot Plus PCs won't have Copilot AI features at launch
When are Intel and AMD's new Copilot Plus PCs expected to arrive, and what is uncertain about their launch?
Intel and AMD's new Copilot Plus PCs are expected to arrive this fall. However, it is uncertain whether they will ship with all or even any of the new AI features. Each of those laptops will require free software updates before they get Microsoft's Copilot Plus AI features, and those updates won't necessarily even arrive before the end of 2024.
What did Microsoft marketing manager James Howell say about the partnership with Intel and AMD regarding the Copilot+ PC experiences?
Microsoft marketing manager James Howell stated that the company is partnering closely with Intel and AMD to deliver Copilot+ PC experiences through free updates, when available. The collaboration aims to ensure that the new AI features, such as Auto Super Resolution for smoother gaming, will be available on Intel Lunar Lake and AMD Strix Point chips, in addition to Qualcomm's processors4. However, Howell did not confirm whether these features would be available at launch or if they would require software updates after the initial release.
What new AI features has Microsoft introduced in Windows, such as Auto Super Resolution?
Microsoft has introduced several new AI features in Windows, including:
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Auto Super Resolution: This feature uses artificial intelligence to upscale videos, enabling smoother gameplay with enhanced details. It is similar to NVIDIA's DLSS, aiming to upscale graphics and improve refresh rates without compromising performance6.
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Recall: Recall is a tool that runs in the background and captures snapshots of everything you see and do on your computer. It allows users to search for anything they've ever done on their PC with natural language. This feature is designed to be privacy-focused, with all data remaining on the device and not being sent to the cloud.
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Cocreator: This feature is available in Microsoft Paint and allows users to create images with AI based on their input. Users can draw a simple image, and Cocreator can take it further by enhancing or modifying the image using AI.
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Windows Studio Effects: These effects integrate directly with the camera, allowing users to apply AI filters and features in any app that uses a camera2. The new artificial lighting feature improves video quality in dimly lit environments, while artistic filters can be applied to enhance the visual appearance of the video feed.
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Live Captions: This accessibility feature uses AI to translate 40+ different languages from live or pre-recorded audio and video in real-time, directly on the device. It can be useful for understanding content in different languages or for people with hearing impairments.
These AI features are part of Microsoft's new Copilot+ PCs, designed to handle generative AI processes locally rather than relying on cloud computing. Copilot+ PCs require a neural processing unit (NPU) performance of at least 40 TOPs (trillions of operations per second), along with a minimum of 16GB RAM and 256GB storage.